Peterson retains IBF title, stops Holt in Round 8

Lamont Peterson retains his IBF junior welterweight crown in his home town in Washington, D. C. USA, knocking out challenger Kendall Holt 28-6 (KO 16) in Round 8 after scoring two knockdowns, in rounds four and six, on ESPN’s Friday Night Fight. Peterson 31-1-1 (KO 16) let go a steady barrage of punches to Holt’s head that made referee Tony Weeks to stop the fight.

Peterson coming off from 14-month layoff seems hesitant to engage early on: that I gave the first three rounds to Holt. He works from the distance trying to potshot Holt that didn’t work so much in his favor.

In Round 4 Peterson adjusted and fight in front of Holt, digging deep to the body and mixing it up to the head. A big right hand landed on Holt’s head that send him to the floor making the crowd up on their feet. Holt is up at the count of eight and survives the round.

In Round 5, a more confident Peterson stalks a now backpedalling Holt, ducking low to fire more punishing shots to the body. Peterson corners Holt against the rope and smothers him but Holt finishes the round. However in Round 6, Peterson continues smothering Holt that forces the challenger to sit on the rope and finally take a knee for another knockdown. Holt survives the round but this time he is much battered and is about to go.

In Round 7, Holt is on the survival mode: tries to hold Peterson more often and the referee give him warning for holding. Finally in Round 8, Peterson open fires a machine gun of punches directed to Holts head that make the referee to make a decision and order a cease fire at around 1:42 in round 8.

Holt now fell to 3-4 in his last seven bouts, including 0-3 in title fights. He held the WBO 140-pound crown for about nine months in 2008-09.